Overview

Tour du Mont Blanc Hotel Trek

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Walk the classic circuit through France, Switzerland and Italy

For those who like to enjoy the comfort of a bed every night we offer the
Mont Blanc circuit as a fully accommodated walking holiday, with all nights
spent in a variety of lodgings from family run 2 and 3-star hotels to basic
inns or pensions. Again keeping to the ideal duration to complete the full
route, we include 10 walking days and 3 rest days, in which time we cross the
borders of Switzerland, Italy and France and enjoy unrivalled views of the
Alps and Mont Blanc itself. The itinerary is essentially the same as on the
camping version (trip code TWB); with your qualified International Mountain
Leader (IML) guiding the way you still complete the famous circuit, and your
baggage is transported for you by our support vehicle, but we offer the
comfort of a bed in quaint, picturesque accommodations on route so you can
enjoy your walking holiday in comfort. In most places we use a hotel for just
one night, before moving on the next day, occasionally we settle in for a few
nights and use local transport to take us to the next point of the circuit.

Stay in a variety of small, friendly hotels and pensions

Walk in the shadow of Western Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc

Enjoy the spectacular scenery of this world-famous route

No camping

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Highlights and Inclusions

All breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches, 12 hotel/restaurant dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

Itinerary

Day
1

Transfer from Geneva airport to Chamonix, France. In the evening there is an
introductory briefing by your leader.

Day
2

From Chamonix we walk to Les Praz and take the cable car to La Flégère
(1900m – 6230ft). The trail today is named the 'Grand Balcon' and is on the
opposite side of the valley from Mont Blanc, affording excellent views of the
whole massif lying to our south. Initially we contour and then climb to reach
the high point of the day, Lac Blanc (2352m - 7715ft). The trail descends and
then contours high above the valley before a final climb down to the hamlet
of Montroc (1371m - 4500ft) from where we take a short scenic train journey
back to Chamonix. In the afternoon there is a very short section of
ladders/steep steps with handrails to descend.
8.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 500m - 1670ft up,
1000m – 3280ft down

Day
3

We travel back to Montroc at the top of the Chamonix valley where we begin
our ascent to the Aiguillette de Posettes (2201m – 7200ft), descend a
little and then climb towards the Col de Balme (2191m – 7190ft) from where
we follow one of the paths across the border from France to Switzerland.
Excellent views all morning of Aiguille d'Argentière and Aiguille du Tour
and its glacier. After lunch we walk through to the small Swiss hamlet of
Trient (1296m – 4250ft). Good views of the Trient Glacier. A sting in the
tail today as we finish with a steep climb from Trient to our hotel at the
Col de la Forclaz (1527m – 5010ft).
8.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 1190m/3900ft up,
1060m/3466ft down

Day
4

We leave the Col de la Forclaz, where we can look directly down into the
Rhône valley and the Swiss town of Martigny and follow an historic path used
to take the cows to high pasture, the 'Bovine route' (2049m – 6720ft). Our
trail takes us through meadows and high alpine pastures before we descend to
the charming town of Champex (1486m – 4880ft) set beside a picturesque
alpine lake.
7.5 hours walking, 680m – 2230ft up, 720m – 2360ft down

Day
5

Now on the east side of the main Mont Blanc Massif we walk south, descending
through woods to the Val Ferret and on to Issert (1055m – 3460ft) and other
small, pretty, alpine farming villages. This is quite a good day for flowers,
including orchids. We continue up the valley to the remote village La Fouly
(1600m - 5250ft). This is at the foot of Mont Dolent, whose summit is at the
meeting point of France, Switzerland and Italy.
6 hours walking, 440m – 1450ft down, 540m – 1780ft up

Day
6

Still following the same valley and the river 'La Drance', we climb to the
'Grand Col Ferret' (2537m – 8320ft), the highest pass of the tour. Now in
Italy, the valley is also called 'Val Ferret'. The mountain views from the
Col are stunning with the Grandes Jorasses dominating the scene. We walk down
the valley to Arp Nouva (1770m – 5800ft) then travel by bus to our hotel in
La Palud near Courmayeur. (BLD)
7 hours walking, 970m - 3180ft up, 800m – 2600ft down

Day
7

The nearby ex-spa towns of Courmayeur and Entrèves have picturesque older
sections, which are worth a visit, especially for the keen photographer.
There is a cable car from Entrèves to Point Helbronner (3461m – 11350ft)
and on across the glacier to Aiguille du Midi (and in fact on down to
Chamonix). This is a splendid (optional) excursion, which gives close-up
views of all the big peaks. Alternatively you might wish to relax and recover
in the Spa bathes at Pre Saint Didier a short bus ride from Courmayeur.

Day
8

We start with a short bus ride to pick up the TMB and from the road (1675m
– 5500ft) climb up to the Bonatti refuge (2025m – 6640ft). Today we
follow beautiful contouring path around Mont de la Saxe to Courmayeur. The
views of the south Mont Blanc massif are exceptional as are those of the
towering, cliffy peak of the 'Grandes Jorasses' and the glaciers which crowd
the northern flank of the Val Ferret. In the afternoon we have a long, steep
descent to Courmayeur (1230m – 4030m) where we can enjoy a delicious ice
cream before taking a short bus ride back to our hotel.
8 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 500m – 1640ft up,
900m 4400ft down

Day
9

Today we are heading for the Val Veny and the start of our walk at La
Vissaille (1660m – 5450ft). We’ll reach this by bus to then start climb
gently along good paths beneath the massive glacier de Miage and pass Lac
Combal before the gradient becomes steeper as we follow the old Roman road
and head for today's pass: the 'Col de la Seigne' (2516m – 8250ft), which
marks our re-entry into France. A fairly steep descent brings us through la
Ville des Glaciers (1789m – 5870ft) and finally after quite a long walking
day to Les Chapieux (1553m – 5090ft), a small remote hamlet inhabited only
during the summer months.
8.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 870m – 2840ft up,
970m – 3180ft down

Day
10

We have now reached the southwest corner of the circuit and turn north to
climb once again. First we make a steep sustained climb to the Col de la
Croix du Bonhomme (2478m – 8130ft) and then contour around to the Col du
Bonhomme (2328m – 7640ft). We then start the proper descent on a steep
path, through meadows and over a Roman bridge and finally to the village of
Les Contamines (1180m - 5900ft). A short bus ride down the valley takes us to
the pretty village of St Gervais, the perfect place for a day off.
8.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 930m – 3050ft up,
1340m – 4400ft down

Day
11

A well-earned rest day. There are many options to fill your day including
taking the cog railway to Le Nid d’aigle – the Eagles Nest - a popular
start point to climb Mont Blanc, or browsing around the local market of Les
Contamines. There are plenty of optional walks in the area or one can simply
relax around the pleasant town of St Gervais or even treat yourself to a
rejuvenating spa.

Day
12

Today is a challenging day with plenty of ups and downs. From St Gervais we
have a 10 min transfer to re-join our route before ascending to the Chalets
de Miage (1560m – 5120ft). From here we take a trail that climbs steeply to
the Col de Tricot (2119m – 6950ft) before descending very close to the
snout of the Glacier de Bionnassay. Good views of the north side of the Mont
Blanc Massif. Eventually we make another ascent to reach the Col de Voza
(1652m – 5418ft) where we re-enter the Chamonix Valley and make our final
descent to the village of Les Houches (993m - 3225ft).
8.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 1200m – 3980ft up,
1370m – 4500ft down

Day
13

We cross to the north side of the Chamonix Valley and climb steeply through
pine forest and then on open mountainsides to reach the high point of the day
at Brevent (2525m – 8290ft). This is a long walking day but will probably
afford the best views of the French side of Mont Blanc and its neighbouring
peaks that we shall have on the whole trek. We descend to Plan Praz (1970m -
6460ft) and take the cable car to Chamonix (1061m) for a well-deserved beer.
7.5 hours walking time including breaks and lunch etc. 1500m – 4921ft up,
520m – 1690ft down

Day
14

Free day in and around Chamonix. There are several good walks in the Chamonix
valley. Chamonix itself is also a great place to spend a day. The most
popular excursions, weather depending, would be the spectacular ascent by
cable car to the Aiguille du Midi or the Montenvers cog railway.